PESHAWAR — After months of simmering tensions, warring factions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district have reached an eight-month truce, aiming to restore peace to the troubled region.
The agreement, brokered by a tribal jirga, stipulates that both sides will uphold the terms of the accord, refrain from violence, and resolve disputes through negotiations. The peace deal follows the framework of the Kohat Agreement, a previous accord meant to curb hostilities in the region.
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Under the new pact, any violation will prompt legal action in accordance with the Kohat accord, officials said. The truce also mandates that both factions cooperate with local authorities. A jirga, or tribal assembly, convened in Sadda town to finalize the agreement. Representatives from both sides attended and acknowledged the need to prevent further bloodshed. “This agreement is essential for stability,” a tribal elder involved in the mediation said.”We are hopeful that it will hold.”
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Key provisions of the agreement include a ban on unlicensed weapons and the evacuation of militant outposts. Security forces will oversee the surrender of arms, and authorities are expected to announce the reopening of roads that have been closed due to previous clashes, easing hardships for local residents.
The Kurram truce follows the conclusion of a high-stakes grand jirga in Kohat in January, where negotiators spent three weeks hammering out details. While skepticism remains over the deal’s durability, officials say the agreement marks a critical step toward reducing unrest in a region long plagued by sectarian and tribal conflicts. The final announcement is set to take place at the Governor’s House in Peshawar, where officials hope to cement a lasting resolution.
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